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PODCAST

Run a Profitable Gym

Run a Profitable Gym is packed with business tools for gym owners and CrossFit affiliates. This is actionable, data-backed business advice for all gym owners, including those who own personal training studios, fitness franchises, and strength and conditioning gyms. Broke gym owner Chris Cooper turned a struggling gym into an asset, then built a multi-million-dollar mentoring company to help other fitness entrepreneurs do the same thing. Every week, Chris presents the top tactics for building a

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

85:28

22 Lessons From 20 Years as a Gym Owner

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2026/01/19

Twenty years of gym ownership will teach you things no course ever could. Chris Cooper’s gym, Catalyst, recently turned 20, and today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain's founder is sharing 22 lessons he’s learned over the last two decades as a fitness entrepreneur. Chris reveals the early mistakes that nearly cost him everything and the systems that finally gave him stability and freedom. He also explains how mentorship and self-improvement helped him acquire critical skills and avoid e...

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36:06

Hyrox: How to Use It to Generate Leads, Members and...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2026/01/15

Hyrox affiliation gives Rob Sowden-Taylor 25 to 40% of his gym’s leads and creates long-term members who stick around for an average of 2.5 years. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin sits down with Rob, owner of Ion Strength and Conditioning in Wales, to break down exactly how he uses Hyrox as a client-acquisition tool. Rob shares how he structures Hyrox simulations to maximize participation and revenue, running more than 120 people through them in just four hours...

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33:59

The Gym Competition That Boosts Revenue, Retention...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2026/01/12

If you put all your clients on podiums and celebrate their achievements, they'll stay longer and you'll earn more. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper breaks down the in-house competition he’s refined over 15 years: the Intramural Open. The four-week event can be run completely on its own or combined with the CrossFit Games Open. Two-Brain's signature fun competition is a win for everyone: Clients get podium moments they can’t get anywhere else, and gym owners see measurable impr...

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16:13

CrossFit's Sale: Stop Watching YouTube, Start Running...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2026/01/08

In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper explains why gym owners need to stop consuming clickbait speculation about CrossFit’s sale and start working on what actually matters: their businesses. Stop paying the “distraction tax”—hours spent watching videos, scrolling comments and worrying about things you can’t control cost you opportunities to generate revenue, build client relationships and preserve decision-making capacity. To give you a concrete plan to i...

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25:42

10 Reasons 2026 Will Be Your Best Year as a Gym Owner

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2026/01/05

Industry data reveals that 2026 could be the best year gym owners have ever seen. Revenue is up across every gym model, average revenue per member is rising, and even the lowest-performing gyms are earning more than they were a year ago. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper presents data from Two-Brain’s latest “State of the Industry” report and highlights 10 reasons gym owners should be optimistic for the year ahead. He explains why personal training and small-group tra...

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50:48

Hard Lessons From Nearly 20 Years of CrossFit Gym...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/31

About 65% of small businesses fail by Year 10, so very few gym owners get to see what works across two decades of ownership. But Bill and Staci Russell have endured to achieve something rare: Their gym, CrossFit Cleveland, has been their sole source of income for nearly 20 years. In this episode, Bill shares hard-earned lessons learned from surviving multiple economic cycles, overcoming staff challenges, adjusting to market shifts and making personal pivots in the fitness industry. Bill an...

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29:55

Founder, Farmer, Tinker, Chief: Leadership for Gym...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/29

Why do most gyms plateau at 122 members? The answer: leadership. In this episode of "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain CEO Chris Cooper explains how your leadership skills determine whether your gym grows, stalls or shrinks. Your gym will rise to the level of your leadership and fall to the level of your worst staff members. To take your gym to increasingly higher levels, you must evolve as a leader. Chris presents the four phases of leadership for gym owners and lists the skills required ...

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38:32

Gym Funnel Hacking: 200 Leads and 60 Sales...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/25

Unleash’d Strength Gym generates 15 times as many leads as the average fitness facility and sets eight times as many appointments. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” owner Joseph Strada reveals the tactics that produce 200 leads and 60 sales appointments per month. He walks through his marketing funnels, explaining how he earns leads through organic social media outreach, paid Meta ads and referral-driven events such as monthly pancake breakfasts. Each funnel includes a systemized...

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17:09

40 Appointments, 32 Shows, 23 Sales: World-Class Gym...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/22

Most coaching gyms add just five clients a month—but the world’s best fitness facilities are consistently adding more than 20 with stellar sales systems. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Chris Cooper analyzes the data behind top-performing marketing funnels, and he reveals which tactics landed these owners on our Top 10 leaderboards, from instant lead follow-up to simplified booking procedures, consistent organic marketing, airtight lead nurture and sales practice reps. You’ll als...

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21:25

Ask Clients These 3 Questions to Boost Revenue Today!

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/18

The fastest way to figure out what people want is by asking the right clients the right questions. Today, Mike Warkentin sits down with gym owner Toni Roy of Breathe CrossFit to break down how the Pumpkin Plan transformed her business. Following the steps, Toni created a list of clients who bring her the most joy and a second list with her highest-value clients. Typically, a gym owner circles the clients on both lists to ID the members they want to replicate. In Toni's case, the groups had ...

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26:28

Simple Questions That Will Improve Every Single...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/15

You won’t build a successful gym by guessing what people want. You just can't read minds—but every entrepreneur tries to do that, and it's costly. Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper provides the simple fix: Start using the “just ask method"—a proven way to boost every single metric in your gym. Chris walks through exactly which questions you must ask to improve your gym’s marketing, sales, retention, pricing, ROI on expenses, staff development and net owner bene...

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26:01

The Hall of Shame: Huge Gym-Owner Mistakes (and How...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/11

In 2015, Corey Lewis expanded to a second gym before he was ready. He ended up with two failing locations instead of one thriving facility. This mistake nearly sunk his business. Now, as a Two-Brain mentor, Corey helps gym owners avoid feels-good-in-the-moment traps that come with severe long-term consequences. In this episode, Corey joins Mike Warkentin to break down some of the most costly mistakes gym owners make: ✅ Expanding before systems are in place. ✅ Promoting staff too quickly. ✅...

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30:45

12 Mistakes That Feel Good Now But Will Kill Your Gym...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/08

Just because a decision feels good now doesn’t mean it’s the right one for your gym’s long-term success. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper breaks down 12 choices that seem smart in the moment but can sabotage a gym's profitability down the line. He explains how mistakes such as paid-in-full deals and monthly discounts erode value and bleed out revenue, and he shares how short-term conveniences, such as hiring friends or subleasing to trainers, create ...

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47:23

Use This Data to Grow Your Gym in 2026: Sales and...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/04

How do you turn 13 leads per month into sustainable gym growth? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper and chief marketing officer John Franklin analyze new data from Two-Brain's 2025 “State of the Industry” guide and show you how to use it to grow your gym in 2026. John, who is also co-founder of Kilo, explains why most gyms still struggle to get enough leads, what high performers do differently and how to make the most of every lead. The pair dig into t...

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42:04

The 2026 Annual Plan for Gym Owners: Your Monthly...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/12/01

A year from now, your gym will be better or worse. That is a hard truth. And “better” doesn’t happen by accident. It only happens if you, the CEO, choose a direction, set priorities and execute today. To help you thrive next year, Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper shares the exact annual plan he's using at his gym, Catalyst. It's 12 months of simple, battle-tested activities that will: ✅ Improve retention. ✅ Produce leads and new clients. ✅ Generate revenue. ✅ Boost average revenue per ...

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60:42

Why Youth Training Is the Fastest Growing Segment in...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/11/28

Why is youth training the fastest-growing segment in fitness? Today on "Run a Profitable Gym," Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper sits down with youth performance expert Bill Parisi to analyze the explosion in sports and fitness training for kids. Over the last 35 years, Bill has built a network of more than 100 Parisi Speed Schools, with most locations averaging $20,000 in revenue per month while operating only four to five hours per day. In this episode, Bill explains how NIL (name, image an...

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28:37

Revenue-Generation Tactics From a Million-Dollar Gym...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/11/27

What does it take to earn the top spot on Two-Brain’s revenue leaderboard? In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” host Mike Warkentin interviews gym owner Brandon Stratton to discuss the upgrades and operational systems that have allowed Bell House Training Co. to gross $1.2 million annually. Brandon explains how a strategic rebrand, smart price adjustments and the removal of outdated discounts produced an immediate 10-15% revenue jump with minimal member attrition. You’ll learn how B...

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16:02

$70K to $119K in One Month: What the Highest Grossing...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/11/24

Good news! Revenue is up in gyms worldwide from 2024 to 2025. And for the first time ever, the average monthly revenue across Two-Brain’s Top 10 leaderboard has crossed US$83,500—over $1 million annually. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper reveals what the highest-grossing gyms are doing to generate between $70,000 and $119,000 per month in consistent, sustainable revenue. He shares insights from mentors working with these top-performing gym owners an...

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65:49

How to Build a Never-Ending Pipeline of New Leads for...

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/11/20

This episode features important visuals. For the best experience, watch it on YouTube. Gym owners, if you need more clients, this training is for you. In this detailed video, Two-Brain Business founder Chris Cooper breaks down his bulletproof system for fixing your leads problem forever by creating a never-ending stream of people who are eager to join your gym. You’ll learn the exact strategies top gyms use to keep their sales pipelines full—and even receive plug-and-play lead-nurture scr...

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28:35

11 Fitness Skills That Build Your Fitness Business

Run a Profitable Gym ·

2025/11/17

The skills you’ve learned through fitness training can help you grow your business—if you know how to apply them. In this episode of “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder and CEO Chris Cooper explains why workout habits directly translate to gym ownership and entrepreneurialism. Every gym owner already has 11 critical fitness skills, such as resilience, adaptability, discipline and virtuosity, and Coop provides a plan to use those assets to grow your business. Coop also details his si...

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209 results

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